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Some might say that which stylus or other accessory you choose for your PDA or handheld PC doesn't matter, that any product you might find on the wall in a retail store will do. To an extent that is true, but having been in this business as long as there has been a business, we are here to tell you that there is more to consider. As you
browse our site please keep in mind that we are adding new products weekly and have relationships with many suppliers. If you don't see what you are looking for, please click contact us, fill in your information and we will get back to you shortly.
This starting point for most customers is usually the question "what device does a particular PDA stylus or accessory product work with?". In the case of styluses it can be a very important decision if you want the stylus to fit into the "garage" that is built into your device. Every handheld manufacturer uses there own creativity in coming
up with a stylus. The result is that styluses are either designed for a particular device (OEM Compatible) or are considered Universal. The advantage of Universal styli is that they can be used on pretty much anything and often included other features, eg. a built-in ballpoint pen. The problem is that you have to remember to put them in your pocket
or you have to buy one that fits into your PDA case. If this is important to you, you may want to consider an OEM Compatible, which can slide into your PDA/handheld and be with you at all time. On our Advanced Search Page, you can choose to search for Universal styli or for styli that are compatible with your particular device. We hope the following will
help you to make a more informed decision...
Platform - by "platform" we mean "what PDA or other handheld device was it designed to work with?". In some cases multiple handheld devices from a given company will use the same model stylus, for example the HP Jornada where both the 520 and 540 use the same size and shape stylus. In other cases,
they are very specific, as with the Compaq iPaq. Fortunately for us all, some companies are starting to use a standard platform. For example, Symbol Technologies, which makes a number of different handheld scanning devices, has decided to use Palm III compatible styli on all of their new handhelds. Click Here for a list of which devices are compatible with each of our available platforms.
Category - when we assign a Category to a product, we usually try to focus on the key functionality of a given device, for example:
Basic - typically are not designed for a particular platform and only include stylus functionality
OEM Compatible - designed to fit into the "garage" built into the device
Multi-Function - incorporate other functions beyond the stylus, for example a ballpoint pen & stylus combo like the Pilot T2300-P
Tetherable - designed to incorporate a tether or other means of keeping the stylus attached to a particular device for either availability or loss prevention reasons
Tip - this can be a major criteria in deciding what stylus is right for you. Different tips are made from different materials with different purposes in mind. A harder stylus will tend to slide on the screen better but can also damage the screen if too much force is applied. On the
other hand, too soft a tip can be hard to write with but has some grip to it, making it great for "touch & tap" where accurate menu selection is more important. Some products, like the Pilot Chameleon, include a firmer (spring-loaded for safety) primary tip for writing and a second rubber tip on the cap for "touch & tap". You will notice a tip hardness rating on most of our
product spec sheets - we will be elaborating more on this soon....
We hope you have found the above information helpful. Please feel free to contact us at any time if you need additional information. Thanks again for visiting StyliSource.com!
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